September call-ups are just around the corner, and the Cincinnati Reds may have already signaled that Sal Stewart is on his way to the big leagues. On Sunday, the Reds outrighted Connor Joe, meaning that Cincinnati now has an extra spot on the 40-man roster for Stewart. Joe has been at Triple-A since August 2 and is hitting .177/.301/.258 in minor league 20 games.
Rosters officially expand from 26 to 28 players on September 1, but in order to be part of the active roster, one must first be part of the 40-man roster — which Stewart is not.